Claiming Confidence: Navigating Home Insurance for Kitchen Appliance Coverage

In 2020, close to 80% of American households prepared at least one hot meal at home every day.[1] If your kitchen appliances are damaged, it’s very difficult to cook these nourishing meals. Your homeowners insurance policy may help to repair the problems, but it depends on the cause of the issue. 

The key to kitchen appliances and homeowners insurance is to read your policy carefully. Understand what sorts of issues are covered, and learn more about how your plan will reimburse you for damage. 

With detailed knowledge about your insurance coverage, you’ll be prepared when the next crisis hits.

Key Questions About Kitchen Appliances & Homeowners Insurance 

These are common questions people ask about kitchen appliances and homeowners insurance. 

Kitchen Appliances & Homeowners Insurance: What’s Covered? 

While every homeowners insurance policy is different, most use similar rules when determining if an appliance issue is covered or not covered. This chart explains typical decisions: 

Cause of Damage	Typically Covered	Typically Not Covered
Fire and smoke	X
Storms (lightening, wind, hail, snow)	X
Explosions	X
Theft or vandalism	X
Freezing within the appliance	X
Electrical surge	X
Flooding		X
Wear and tear		X
Overloaded circuits		X
Old wiring		X

The most popular types of homeowner insurance policies cover the following perils:[3]

• Fire and smoke 
• Lightening 
• Storms (wind, hail, heavy ice or snow) 
• Explosion 
• Damage from planes or vehicles 
• Vandalism or theft 
• Volcanic eruptions 
• Falling objects 
• Accidental discharge or overflow of water or steam from household systems or appliances 
• Freezing of plumbing and some kinds of appliances
• Sudden and accidental damage from a power surge 

Your homeowners insurance policy should include a detailed list of perils—or what is or is not covered. Ensure that you read this very carefully and understand how your coverage works. 

Examples of Kitchen Appliances & Homeowners Insurance Coverage 

Understanding kitchen appliances and homeowners insurance is easier when you can read about how other families have dealt with similar issues. 

One family had a kitchen fire started by an appliance sitting on the stovetop. The fire damaged the tiny device, the stove, and the wall in the kitchen. This type of fire is relatively straightforward, and the family should have good coverage for their appliances, including the one that didn’t start the fire.[4] 

In Vermont, homeowners had a very different experience. After a flood, their appliances were not covered by homeowners insurance. The state created a program to help low- and middle-income families replace appliances ruined by the flood since their homeowners insurance policies wouldn’t help.[5] 

In a last example, police recovered 25 appliances from two people who had stolen them from several different households.[6] These types of claims are straightforward, as homeowners insurance policies typically cover theft. 

How to File a Kitchen Appliance Claim 

If you’ve experienced a covered event, your appliances could be covered by your plan. You’ll need to move through a reasonable series of steps to get your money. 

To file a kitchen appliance claim, follow these steps:

1. Contact your agent as soon as the event is over. 
2. Document all of the damage due to the event. 
3. Fill out paperwork from your insurance company. 
4. Allow an insurance adjuster to look over the problems in person. 

Know that kitchen appliance claims may not cover everything you’ve lost. Researchers say some types of appliances have increased in price by 20%.[7] You may not get enough back in reimbursement to buy brand-new versions. 

A claim can also cause your premiums to increase the following year. Insurance companies share information about claims, and they charge higher fees for people who always use their policies, even for small problems. 

Before you file a kitchen appliance claim, ensure that the money you might get back is worth the hassle and the potential higher premium fees. 

How to Document Kitchen Appliance Damage 

Your insurance company will require proof that your appliances are truly damaged and that the issues came from an event your policy covers. 

Follow these documentation steps:[8]

1. Take photos and videos. Use both detailed images and widescreen shots to document what has been damaged, how bad it is, and how the problem may have started. Err on the side of too much documentation to ensure you aren’t missing pieces later.
2. Record serial numbers. Take photos of the serial numbers of all of the serial numbers on your appliances, if you can see them. 
3. Find your receipts. If you still have documents from the purchase, gather them. 
4. Keep environmental samples. If the carpet, wallpaper, or flooring around the appliances were ruined, ensure that you take samples of them, especially if you’re going to throw them away because they’re wet. 

An insurance adjuster will visit your property in person to examine the damage. Your documentation is still required. Gather all this evidence in one spot, so it’s easy to reference later. If you disagree with the adjuster, your proof could help you get the money you deserve. 

How to Protect Your Appliances 

You can’t eliminate all of the dangers that could harm your appliances. However, a homeowner can take reasonable steps to ensure that your important tools are as safe as they could possibly be. 

The following common sense steps may help:

• Unplug your appliances when you’re not using them, so power surges don’t fry them during a storm. T
• Secure them to the wall (if it’s safe to do so), so they don’t float away in rising water or move around in an earthquake.
• Inspect your appliances and electrical systems regularly and fix any problems you see. 
• Update your electrical system, especially if you have old wiring, so the wires don’t cross and ruin your systems. 

If you have plenty of expensive appliances, consider a home warranty. These products offer extensive protection for perils your homeowners insurance won’t cover.

Keep Your Appliances Safe & Sound 

Read through your homeowners insurance policy regularly and ensure that you understand what is covered and what is not covered. If you decide that your current policy doesn’t offer enough coverage, talk to your agent about increasing your coverage. You may be able to get an additional rider or upgrade to a more comprehensive policy.

Take your appliance protection plan seriously, and take all of the steps we’ve outlined above to keep your resources safe and sound.